When I first found out I was pregnant with baby number two, I was so excited! And while little could dissipate the excitement, I then remembered how uncomfortable the pregnancy process was at times. I’m probably one of the lucky ones who — after the first twelve weeks, post-morning sickness — was generally a glowing, energetic pregnant lady (at least that’s how my husband remembered it). That said, carrying an extra forty pounds around can still cause a lot of aches and pains and all those hormones can create a turbulent situation on your insides. I’ve found that these four items helped substantially with the discomfort.
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1) Pregnancy pillow
After my first raging pregnancy-related backache — the kind where you’re stuck at a 135 degree angle and you’re pretty sure you’ll be hunched like a little old lady for the rest of your life — I Googled the whats, whys, and hows of it to help alleviate the pain.
I’d never even heard of a pregnancy pillow prior to this and when I saw them, I was both baffled and overwhelmed. This had to be another pregnancy gimmick. There’s no way people actually spend money on one of these ridiculous things when you could just put a pillow between your knees, and so that’s what I did. And ya know what? That damned pillow constantly had to be adjusted and I had to roll it over with me (and my growing belly), and I hated it, so unless the backaches got really bad, I just dealt with it. Then one day I stopped by a garage sale and saw one of those ridiculous things for $5. It was in great shape, so I bought it. And I loved it. And I moved into the guest room because there wasn’t enough room for both hubs and the pillow in our bed, and that was okay, and I slept like a rock. Free of back pain.
So here’s a couple of things about pregnancy pillows: first of all, they come in a variety of offerings — C-shapes, U-shapes, adjustable, and even diamond-shaped. I can’t really speak much to anything other than what I have (U-shaped), but as someone who’s normally a side/stomach sleeper, being able to separate my knees in an effort to keep my hips in line was crucial to my comfort. I also toss and turn a lot (and even more so when I’m pregnant), so not having to carry the whole arrangement over from one side to the next over the course of (every) night is something I wouldn’t trade. Of those I’ve spoken with that have used a C-shape, this is something they wish they would have considered when purchasing, although they still state that, without a doubt, a pregnancy pillow of any kind is a must-have item.
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2) Massage
There’s nothing better than massage. Gift certificates for them have long been a favorite holiday gift in my family. But it was when I had my first pregnancy massage that I realized how absolutely necessary they were. It was also the point at which I realized that I would never have a less than 90 minute massage again. I have a friend who’s a massage therapist and, while it sometimes takes a while to get into see her, she’s absolutely worth it. At the end of an hour and a half, I typically find myself thanking the universe for all its goodness (something I should probably do more often anyway). Ask around, make some calls. You deserve to find a person that can do this for you.
3) A large, quality mattress
Like I mentioned above, when I started using my pregnancy pillow, I moved into the guest room. This may seem off, (like maybe hubs should have done this) but it was okay. My husband is a tall guy and our guest bed was only a double size and he hated sleeping in it. He also hated me sleeping in it for months at a time, so when I found out I was pregnant the second time around, he insisted that we invest in a king-sized mattress. This was a bit of a luxury purchase for us; our previous mattress was comfortable and only seven years old. But every time we stayed at a hotel, I’d whine about how comfortable and roomy it was and how I wished that we had one. Turns out it was a great purchase. Not only does it offer enough room for both of us, our dogs, and my pregnancy pillow, but eventually it’ll also be better suited for a couple of kiddos to snuggle in, too.
Side note: I can’t say enough great things about memory foam mattresses. This is our second and we have absolutely no regrets.
4) Plant based prenatal vitamins
Between the increased iron intake and the hormone, relaxin, pregnancy can do a number on your ability to do number two. Perhaps it’s TMI, but I’ll never forget the day I woke up so uncomfortable and lethargic that I declared that I wasn’t eating anything other than prunes and bananas until the path had cleared. I was miserable and completely useless. After that day, I upped my fruits and veggies to a full day’s servings before noon and regularly included a handful of prunes into my diet to maintain my regularity. After that bottle of vitamins was gone, I switched to a fully plant-based version and haven’t had to deal with this discomfort since.
Personally, I like to hit up my local natural foods store when it comes to supplements, as plant based options can be expensive, large (as in hard to swallow), and require you to take 2-3 pills a day, and I find it easier to weigh my options with the bottle in hand (I also really like the women that work there), but I’m sure the world wide web can lead you in the right direction, as well. These are what I found work best for me.
In addition to plant-based prenatals, there are also plant-based iron pills, should you struggle with anemia. I have specific recommendation for these: Solgar’s Gentle Iron. I’ve used them for years and highly recommend them.
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So if you’re pregnant and looking to help ease some of the discomforts, I recommend starting with the pills and pillow, then add in a little indulgence, and if you’re still not feeling in tip-top shape, look at upgrading your mattress. After all, it’s where you’ll spend a third of your life and you’re going to want quality sleep after that baby comes, too.
Good luck and congratulations!
— Funky Crunchy Mama
Want more tips on pregnancy and breastfeeding? Check out these posts!
Lessons Learned from Two Years of Breastfeeding
The Haakaa: A Nursing Mom Must-Have
Honey-Do: The Post-Baby Checklist for Your Significant Other
Coconut Almond Lactation Granola
